Mass Effect 3: Ghost
by JacenAntilles
Summary: Ghosts will haunt true leaders throughout their lives despite self-absolution; preventing the soul from obtaining peace. Shepard will face this trial. On the point of breaking will she pull through or will she fall? Mass Effect is owned Bioware


**Mass Effect 3 Ghosts**

Ghosts will haunt true leaders throughout their lives despite self-absolution; preventing the soul from obtaining peace.

**Sol System, Earth, United North American States, Washington D.C. 15 years after the End of the Reaper War**

The memory of the Reaper war lingers with the victorious fighters in the galaxy. Many of the men who led their warriors into battle still see the ghosts of the men who will not live to enjoy the benefits of the wars.

On the outskirts of the capitol, of the North American States of Washington DC, a human woman sits on her lounge chair on the front lawn of her newly acquired estate on Earth. The home is a reward for her military service to her race and to the galaxy. Admiral Jane Shepard, or to the galaxy, Commander Shepard, served many years, and it has been nearly 15 years since she defeated the Reapers. For many warriors it was simple to rebuild and move on but, for Jane it was harder to move on then others. She continues to attempt to forgive herself for what happened during the war.

"Jane, where are you?" Asked a Turian, as he looked for his wife.

"Out here, Garrus. I'm on the on the porch." Called back Shepard at her Turian.

"What's wrong, Jane?" Asks Garrus, as he walks outdoors to see his partner staring into the distance.

"I'm fine, Garrus." Answers Shepard, but Garrus is not convinced.

"Like hell you are! It's always the same during this time of year, ever since that day." Garrus trails off as Shepard looks at her Turian and sighs.

"I'm thinking of that day. The ghosts won't leave me alone." Answers Shepard as Garrus finds a chair to sit next to his wife.

"You never told me what happened. What _did_ happen that day?" Asks Garrus. Shepard stares off into the distance. Garrus is about to say something, but Shepard starts to recall that day sixteen years ago out loud and retell the events that changed her life.

**16 years ago during the Reaper War, Aboard the SSV Normandy**

Six months have passed since Earth fell to the Reaper forces. After getting the Krogen and the Turians to fight alongside each other, rather than against each other hope finally started to shine. And after helping the Quarian with the Geth the future was beyond bright. However, all good things come with a price: Mordan on Tukanka, Thane on the citadel, and Legion on Rannoch. Since these events the ghosts have haunted Shepard.

Commander Jane Shepard is in the Normandy's war room preparing her next move. Should she go to the Citadel and talk to the Asari ambassador or go to the Asari monastery? As she ponders her next move, Joker comes over the intercom. "Shepard, Admiral Hackett is pinging us. I have him on the QEC for you."

"Got it, Joker." Answers Shepard. She pulls herself away from the holo table and walks up the short steps into the QEC room. Shepard stops in front of a terminal and starts to punch in the pass code. In a few moments a scar faced old warrior from a battle long ago appears. This is a warrior many still follow despite his failure to hold on to Earth, but then again who could prepare for the Reapers.

"Admiral, how can I help you?" Shepard asks as she gives him a quick salute.

"Shepard, intelligence has come across regarding what can be a Cerberus strong hold in the Armstrong Cluster. I need the Normandy to investigate and if this intel is credible, wipe it off the map and gather what information you can." Hackett orders.

"Yes, we'll get it done, Sir. Send the coordinates." Answers Shepard. Hackett nods in agreement and the QEC connection is cut. "Joker, get us there and call the Bird and Tali to the war room. I need to get them up to speed." Orders Shepard.

A few moments later, Shepard is going over the details Hackett transmitted over. With a quick glance at the data she can see why it's believed that a Cerberus base is there. Garrus is the first to arrive and while he gets settled Tali arrives followed immediately by the Bird. Garrus is eyeing a map and he can see why he was called in to help.

"All right, as you guys can see this is a map of a supposed Cerberus base in the Armstrong cluster, in an "unexplored" star system. Our orders are simply to gather what data we can, and see what they're up to, and then blow it to hell." States Shepard. She can tell her team is on edge.

"Unexplored? And there so happens to be an Alliance and a Cerberus Base dirt side? Something does not add up Shepard. This could be a trap and this _is_ Cerberus we are talking about, always three steps ahead of us." States Garrus as he tries to relax.

"I know. Hackett was just told about this recently and he wants to know why?" Answers Shepard. She remembers a letter in the data that was given to her. "Apparently he did not want to voice that on the QEC. We are still going to get ready. We will be there in a few moments." Answers Shepard, She makes her way to the hangar bay with Garrus alongside her. "Yes Garrus, what is it?" Asks Shepard.

"Bird, Shepard?" Asks Garrus not understanding the odd nickname.

"You look like a bird from Earth; it just reminds me of Earth that's all." Answers Shepard and Garrus smiles now understanding the comment. "Now let's get ready for the OP." As they enter the hanger bay Shepard can see Cortez prepping the shuttle for the mission. Garrus moves from Shepard's side and moves to the lockers and starts to get ready. Shepard moves to her own locker and takes out her armor; a repurposed Cerberus armor that the new N7 demolishers are using. She managed to get her hands on one and she knows Hackett had a helping hand in her obtaining the armor. Once she is in her armor she moves to the weapons' locker and takes out her Valkyrie rifle and her Phalanx pistol. Garrus grabs his trusty Valente Sniper rifle while Tali her shotgun. They board the Shuttle to await Joker's all clear command.

"Joker here. We just entered the system and are orbiting around the planet. You are clear to launch." Joker states as Cortez opens the hanger bay doors,

_Garrus sits on the porch of their home on Earth as he relives that day. Shepard takes a pause as she waits for her head to catch up with her. Shepard is trying to find the words for what has her all wound up. These memories are only the beginning of what will lead her to the ghosts that won't leave her. After a few moments Shepard's restarts the telling of her war memories._

As the shuttle moves into position Garrus can tell something is not right. He can tell his partner is not telling him something. Jane is white as a sheet; at least that's what the humans say.

Shepard has been on edge, something has been gnawing at the back of her mind; something she cannot place. It's so familiar, yet not.

"We are two minutes out of Cerberus sensors and yet they have not picked us up. It's snowing so be careful. I am putting you just outside the base. You are going to have to fight your way in." States Cortez. The door to the hanger opens and Shepard looks around the area and to her surprise there are no guards, no sentries, actually no personnel at all. She can tell this was a Cerberus base with the familiar color scheme and logo that can be seen throughout the base. Shepard gnawing feeling of dread is growing every second. Now that she is here at the Cerberus base the feeling that something is definitely wrong is stronger than ever not knowing makes her even more edgy.

Garrus and Tali don't seem disturbed by this place. Shepard moves in with her gun raised as they comes up to a door that appears welded shut.

"EDI can you find me a way in or do I have to blow this door down?" Asks Shepard as she awaits for an EDI response.

"Shepard it seems all the doors have been welded shut. The only way in will have to be through the door in front of you. One charge should take care of it." Answers EDI. Shepard motions for Garrus to place the charge. After Garrus places the charge they move back a few feet as the charge is discharged. The door now has a good size hole for the three of them to enter one by one. Once in the pitch black corridors Shepard can not help to notice something on the edges of their flashlight halo of light..

"Do any of you get the feeling this place was never meant to be reopened. Why weld the doors shut with the doors being this thick. Something is not right here." States Shepard. She sees something in the corner of her eye and in one fluid motion she turns her rifle to the spot where she thinks this mysterious thing is located.

"What is it Shepard?" asks Tali as she and Garrus raise their guns.

"You…it's nothing thought I saw something." Answers Shepard. They continue to move down the hall and the feeling in the back of her head is growing with every step. As the group moves down this hall for a long ten minutes Shepard asks, "Did you hear that?" She turns her rifle towards the direction where the noise came from.

"Hear what? Are you all right Jane?" Asks Garrus. Shepard remains quiet as they continue to move down the hallway. Shepard still cannot place the feeling that is nagging at her mind. There are no other strange responses by Jane, but Garrus can tell she is on edge and not herself. After five minutes Shepard and her team arrive at the main control room. As they enter the room Tali moves to the computer in the room. They move along the room trying to figure out what may have happened. The one thing they notice is the lack of bodies Cerberus or otherwise. Shepard cannot shake the feeling of dread as she watches Tali work and she turns to look at Garrus and she freezes as she sees a Geth, but not just any Geth 'Legion'.

"Shepard!" screams Garrus as she looks at Garrus and back to where the "Legion" stood but now sees nothing but air. "Shepard, are you all right? You just froze." Asks Garrus with concern as Shepard brings up her shaking hand to her head.

"What did you find Tali?" Asks Shepard as she finds a chair to sit.

"Looks like they found something…data here is corrupt but I can tell something went wrong with one of their experiments. It looks like something to do with the human mind. I can't tell. After that it's too corrupt to read.." Answers Tali.

"Were leaving now! I'm scrubbing the mission." Answers Shepard as she rises from her sitting position to radio for assistance. "Joker, I need the shuttle now. Have Javik or Liera pilot it back." Orders Shepard. She and her team move out of the main control room and before they move forward, Shepard looks to Garrus,. "Garrus I need you to get in touch with the Primarch, they need to seal this place up." States Shepard. Garrus now understands why Shepard is acting edgy. As they start down the hallway they all hear a cracking sound and they run. Garrus can see dust falling and as if on cue Garrus pushes Shepard into a separate hallway. He and Tali jump forward rolling onto the floor of a second hallway as the celling collapses right over where they were previously standing. Garrus gets up and moves to stand over the rubble.

"Shepard can you hear me? Shepard?" screams Garrus as he is scared out of his mind and hoping Shepard can hear him through the pile of rubble blocking the hallway.

"I'm fine, a little shaky is all. EDI, can you find me a way out of here?" Asks Shepard. She hears a sound behind her but she still sees nothing but darkness and dust.

"Yes, Shepard. It looks like if you continue straight down the hall it will lead you out in a day. This is a very large building and most of the hallways are blocked by rubble." States EDI.

"EDI what the hell happened?" Shepard asked though a hell of a lot of coughing from the dust floating in the air.

"I'm not sure Shepard. But I think the building has been unused for sometime and the building has become unstable. The charge you set may have triggered a fault in the building." EDI states as Shepard moves to look at the rubble in front of herbut can't find a way around it.

"Just wait there I will get help to get you out, just stay there." Screams Garrus as he and Tali start to make their way out of the building.

"No, I'm going to find my way out of here. EDI just…stay on the line please as long as possible." Asks Shepard as she moves down the hall. After a few moments of walking she comes to what she can tell is the mess hall. She enters the mess hall and the tables and chairs are overturned and tossed across the room. Shepard moves over to one of the tables and turns it over and grabs a chair to sit. She then takes off her helmet and removes the communications equipment from the helmet and places it back on her ear. She lets her pony tail lose and lets her hair fall down over her shoulders

"Shepard, you have stopped. What is the matter?" EDI asks as Shepard places her head in her hands.

"Nothing, I'm just taking a break." Answers Shepard, as she hears a sound from the kitchen. Shepard decides to ignore the sound. Now the sound of cans dropping makes Shepard jump, Shepard rises from her chair and un-holsters her pistol and moves into the kitchen. She enters the room and moves along the cabinets but, she cannot find any cans of any sort. Shepard then moves into the pantry and finds some water bottles and stacks of cans.

"I must be losing my mind." Mutters Shepard, as she brings up her omi-tool and scans the water bottles. After checking the bottle a few seconds the water reads to be just fine, and grabs one and holsters her pistol. As she turns around she sees Thane and drops the water bottle she un-holsters her pistol raising it at the image.

"You… have… failed." States the image as it step forward and Shepard backs up into the wall of the pantry. "You have failed" It says again. Shepard closes her eyes and pulls the trigger and three distinct discharges are heard . Once the last round goes off she opens her eyes to see nothing but air, and only a few meters away the three holes from the rounds she just fired. Shepard is breathing heavily and shaking and still has her pistol still raised. After what seems like hours Shepard slowly lowers her pistol.

"Shepard! Answer me!" Screams Garrus. Shepard quickly moves and gathers as many water bottles as she can. While gathering the water bottles she finds a duffle bag with the Cerberus logo. She stuffs the bag and Garrus is still screaming for her to answer. "EDI, is her com working?" Asks a frantic Garrus.

"I'm fine, Garrus. Just grabbing some water here and I will get going again." Answers Shepard with a shaky voice. Everyone on the bridge can tell something is upsetting their commander. What can be disturbing Shepard? As Shepard hangs the duffle bag on her back she starts running out the door and down the hallway. After thirty minutes of running she stops to catch her breath. Shepard looks down at her belt looking for a light stick. She lost her rifle with the attached light when Garrus pushed her out of the way when the rubble came falling all around. She hears a sound again.

"No…not again, please just stop." Pleads Shepard as she enters an office and moves a desk to clear a path for herself as it was in her way. Shepard walks over to another desk and drops the bag of bottles on the desk. She activates the light stick and places it on the desk. Shepard grabs a water bottle out of the bag and thirstily downs the precious liquid. She removes her armor and throws it into the bag.

Shepard slides back the chair and puts her feet up on the desk. She is exhausted from all the excitement and running from whatever seemed to haunting this place. As she begins to dose off she hears a voice; one she has not heard in a long time. It's Kadian's voice.. "You have failed." Kadian states, and she also hears Mordan's voice saying the same thing. "You have failed." More and more voices join the mantra of "You have failed." All the voices were all recognizable voices of people of her past.. The accusation grows louder and louder, screaming "You have failed, you have failed. YOU HAVE FAILED!" Shepard wakes up in a cold sweat, breathing hard and her heart racing.

"You all right, Shepard? Your heart rate is elevated." Asks EDI as Shepard is trying to calm down and get her heart rate and respirations back to normal.

"Just a bad dream, EDI, but thanks for asking." Answers Shepard as she drinks from the water bottle. "How much further do I need to go? Why would Cerberus need such a large facility?" Asks Shepard as she is attempts to clear the bad dream out of her head.

"I don't know Shepard, but it seems you are discovering their secret experiments searching for an immunization. And as for the size of the compound I do not have an answer for that either." Answers EDI to Shepard's disappointment. "Because of your run, you should be out of the facility by noon tomorrow."

"I guess I should start then," answers Shepard as she rises and grabs the bag along with the light stick and starts walking out the door. Shepard starts to walk down the hall with the light stick held up high and every so often she hears the noises or voices of those she once knew exclaiming the same thing, 'You Have Failed." As Shepard comes to an experimental lab she sees a tank and whatever was held in it is gone based on the large hole in it. As she looks around the lab she spots a computer terminal and moves to it. Shepard brings up her omi-tool and starts to crack it and give the terminal a little power to be able to operate it for a short time. Once it powers up she sets her omi-tool to bypass the terminal fire walls. In a few moments Shepard is looking through the terminal. Most of the data is corrupt from the loss of power and many other factors. After some digging she finds a file that makes her gasp.

'_Specimen 1-211 unknown alien life form, able to feed on the despair of victims but, does not kill the victims. It torments its victims by making the victim see and hear and relive anything it finds to be troubling in their life, and can mimic the same brain wave pattern of the race, only one known life form matches this race: Human, objective of experiments: Immunity'_

Shepard could not believe what she was seeing she copied all the files to her omi-tool even if they are corrupt they could be recreated to some degree.

Pleased with the information she has gathered. For what seems like an hour Shepard doesn't hear anything as she checks her omi-tool to see how much further she needs to go. She hears a loud metallic bang behind her and as she moves to turn she holds up a new light stick in the direction of the sound and finds nothing. She turns back to the direction where she came from and finds an image of Legion. Shepard freezes in place, despite what she has learned, Shepard could not keep her mind from racing. In an attempt to regain her state of mind quickly she raises her pistol and aims it at the image. As she aims at the image the gun is shaking vividly. The image just stands there looking at her. After a moment it slowly says, "YOU…HAVE…FAILED." With what little control she has left she sprints down the hallway.

As Shepard runs all she can hear is the phrase from all the voices from all people she has ever known. Every voice, every word eating away at her. After a few moments of the dead sprint she unknowingly falls down an opening in the ground stumbling down a ramp, as she falls the duffle bag comes lose and loses her grip on her pistol. After a brief moment she falls off the ledge and onto a sharp piece of bone, at least the best she could tell it feels like a bone, as it lodges into the right side of her abdomen near one of her kidneys.

As Shepard gets on her knees, her bag and pistol landed near her, and she pulls at the bone with one swift tug. The bone comes lose and the pain runs through her body, not just the pain at her side, but the emotion of friends and love ones lost, many by her very command. Shepard starts to cry, thinking she cannot win, how can she win? The Reapers have won.

"Shepard, are you there? Don't believe anything it is saying." Garrus said through the com-link headset, that somehow managed to stay on, Garrus had no idea if the woman he loved could hear him but he will try nonetheless. "Shepard I am here for you. You got to fight it. I did not follow you through hell and back multiple times just for you to give up now. Please Shepard you have to fight it…for us. I cannot lose you now after I just got you back. Shepard, please fight it." Garrus pleaded as he heard a ruffling of armor and the dragging of feet and then the stumble but afterwards more ruffling. "That's my girl." Whispered Garrus as he took a sit on the bridge of the Normandy.

As Garrus sits paying attention to what his partner is saying, he remembers what he said at that moment how every word just simply rolled off his tongue. The one thing he does not understand is how he knew something was talking to her even when she never told him of it or of her struggle within herself. Shepard has her knees pressed against her chest now as she holds them close to her. Shepard is simply taking a break as her brain tries to catch up with her mind and emotions.

As Shepard hears her Turian say those words she gains the strength to get up despite the pain in her side, she gets up and starts to walk to her gear, and stumbles as she drags herself to keep moving. Shepard waits for the pain to subside and gets up and once more she hears her Turian say 'that's my girl', and for the first time since this ordeal started she smiles.

As Shepard moves over to her duffle bag she sits next to it as the pain is too much to handle. She moves her omi-tool to dispense some medi-gel, but to her disappointment the dispenser is damaged from the fall. "Damn." Is all she says as she opens her bag and takes out a bottle of water and takes off her shirt and lays it on the bag. Shepard opens the bottle and pours some of the water on the wound. She pours the water and a stinging pain courses through her body. As the pain subsides to a degree Shepard grabs her shirt and rips at least a good two inches from the bottom of her shirt. The ripped strip becomes bandage and wraps it around her torso and tightens it as pain rips through her body. After the pains subsides a bit she puts on what's left of her shirt, and before putting the water bottle away takes a swig of the water.

"EDI where am I?" Asks Shepard as she sits up leaning against the wall.

"You are about a kilometer from where you can leave the building." Answered EDI as Garrus hears the conversation between the two.

"Shit, that's going to be one long Kilometer." States Shepard her eyes close and can feel sleep overtaking her. To Shepard's surprise she is able sleep with no nightmares, voices, or images. She recalls the intel stating that they do not kill their victims. After four hours of sleep and a sting pain to her side she rises from her wall and grabs her stuff with a few grunts. Shepard goes to the pouch on her belt and grabs a light stick noting she only has two including the one she just grabbed. She cracks the stick and lights up the area. She notices the shale like material on the ground and sees the blood stained shale where she fell.

As Shepard walks down the hallway the crack of the shale under her boot is drowning out the voices that have started again. The voice is repeating the phrase she has begun to despise. The pain in her side has numbed the entire affected side of her torso. Shepard can feel blood running down her armor and down her leg. Things are starting to blur and is leaving a bloody trail with every step. Her cybernetics are working overtime trying to keep blood in her system and trying to heal the wound at her side. Shepard checks her omi-tool to see how much further she needs to go. She has only gone half a kilometer. Shepard's strength is waning as she walks and the voices are still ringing in her head. At times she sees the images of her friend standing by her side repeating the dreaded phrase. She keeps putting one foot in front of the other, knowing it is almost over and she will never have to look at this place ever again and knowing she is almost back to the Turian she loves. But then again she seems to go from one hell to another. She leaves the hell filled with ghosts to a hell filled with Reapers. Which one she dreads more she does not know, but she knows Garrus is waiting for her.

As Shepard keeps walking the "Ghost" is becoming more desperate with every step she takes. "You have failed Shepard, you cannot beat the Reapers, you have failed." It is starting to say as she keeps moving. And now the images start to say this as well, but she keeps walking. Every once in a while she stumbles due to the pain in her side. She rights herself and starts walking again. After what Shepard thought was hours she finally arrives at the bay door that EDI guided her to. Shepard moves to the console and raises her omi-tool to bring power back to the required systems to open the bay doors. As the systems are being restored she notices that the bay doors are not welded shut. She may be in for some good luck after all.

"Shepard, of all the miracles you have done, you have failed." States an image in an accusing voice she has come to hate. She moves to look at the image of the Illusive Man. "With all your might and loyal crew and still cannot win. You can't even protect those you care about." It said as Shepard is starting to shake.

"No, I can win! I can." Shepard states in a weak voice as she walks back into a wall.

"How can you Shepard, the Reapers are infinite, how can you beat them?" Asks the Illusive Man.

"The Crucible…" Answers Shepard, but was cut off by the image.

"The Crucible…you don't even know what it will do. Are you that desperate that you would do the Reapers work for them." States the image, as it paces around while Shepard slides down the wall. "The Reapers have won, Shepard. You can't beat gods."

"No…No…I can win…" Shepard starts to mumble repeating her mantra over and over again.

"You have failed Shepard." It said one last time as the bay doors opened. "My time is done with you Shepard. Remember you have failed, you can't beat gods." It said one last time as it disappears. As the bay doors open the light from the systems star enter the building, to reeal a squad of Turian hierarchy. Among the soldiers is Garrus running in the hanger bay to find his partner with her knees held up to her chest mumbling indiscernible sounds. There is blood on her upper body and her hair a mess. This is not the Shepard he knows.

""No…No…I can win…" The soldiers encircle Shepard and listen to her dazed mantra. Garrus looks at Shepard and can not believe what this creature did in a matter of hours. The enemies they had fought in the past including the Reapers for years could not break Shepard.

The Hierarchy soldiers just create a perimeter and Garrus tries to comfort Shepard.

"Shepard?" Garrus asks hoping she will answer, but instead she remains in a dazed trance, mumbling the phrase she has been saying for some time now. Every once in a while adding, 'I have not failed'.

"That's right Jane you have not failed, and you won't. You can't fail. Shepard, please listen to me." Pleads Garrus as Shepard stops her mumbling. "I don't care what this thing did to you, you have not failed, those you lost, did not die by your hand. They died because they knew there was no other way. They volunteered for this. We all did, knowing the next mission could be our last. It's not your fault. You have not steered us astray. You have done right by us. There is no reason for you to act like this. No reason, Shepard. We will win." Garrus says as he pours his heart out in that one speech. After Garrus is done with his plea Shepard's breathing starts to return to normal along with her heart rate. Shepard's eyes are now more focused and not dazed like when he first found Shepard.

After a few minutes Shepard finally looks at her Turian. "Garrus." Is all she can say as she holds her knees close to her.

"Shepard, I am here for you, let's go home." States Garrus and Shepard nods.

Garrus, looks at his partner after she finishes retelling her story. Now knowing what has her in this state sixteen years later, provides Garrus with a better understanding of what his wife has been feeling. The ghosts still frighten her even though she is light years away. Shepard remains in her little ball, as Garrus remembers what happens afterwards.

As Garrus carries Shepard back to the Shuttle Javick steps out and helps Garrus with Shepard. The Squad of Turians remains in the hanger bay. Shepard has her head buried in the Turian's chest and she says one thing that makes Garrus mandibles clench. "Even gods fall." As they leave the plant atmosphere and enter the hanger to the Normandy, the doctor and aids are standing in the hanger bay waiting for the Shuttle to open its doors so they can do their jobs.

With Shepard in the med bay Garrus walks to the War Room to talk to the Primarch and Admiral Hackett. By the time he enters the room he can hear both leaders talking. Personally Hackett can not look at Garrus as he is the one who ordered the mission when he thought it would a simple mission.

Primarch Victis simply looks at the Turian.

"Garrus, we looked through that building from top to bottom we found nothing, I don't know what has Shepard the way she is right now, but we managed to reconstruct some of the data Shepard found. And to say it worries me, and I'm not even human, is saying a lot. What they found or captured… The Hierarchy will have a small detachment to ensure that tomb remains closed." States the Primarch.

"And I have ordered the Alliance base on the other side of the planet to shut down. I can't risk their lives like I did Shepard's. I did not know this would happen. But I see why the Illusive Man wanted to find a vaccine. Still, we will cede this planet to the Hierarchy to watch over it as we cannot." States Hackett as his connection is cut.

Garrus looks at the Primarch. "Do we know what that thing is Victis?"

"No, we don't, but by what it does we are simply calling it 'Ghost'. "answers Victis.

**Present day Earth**

Garrus, sits with Shepard as she is still in her ball on the long chair. Shepard sits letting her mind catch up once again as it tries to forget that day. For sixteen years she has remembered that event more than any other. The memory is much stronger this time of year. Even though is was the Earth's summer when this happened, it was snowing during that planet's winter but the date is the same. After several moments of regrouping Shepard's breathing and heart rate are back to normal.

"That was all in the past, we are here now Jane, you did not fail." Garrus says as he walks over to his wife and touches her cheek as she has been crying while telling her story. As Garrus touches her cheek she grabs on to his hand. Knowing she needs him now, he sits on her chair as she holds on to his hand.

"Maybe you should take tomorrow off Jane?" suggests Garrus as Shepard no longer in a ball and more relaxed in her lounge chair.

"Wish I could. But I'm fine now." Answers Shepard and this time Garrus believes her.

"Who are you meeting tomorrow?" asks Garrus.

"Tali, and a Karin Harper." Answers Shepard.

_"Sometimes some questions are best left unanswered. " _


End file.
